Adjustable wheel for vacuum cleaners



Jan. 15 1924.

w. ,1. WISE ET -AL ADJUSTABLE WHEEL FOR VACUUM-CLEANERS Filed Nov. 23,1921 gwumfloz [William J Wire fii Tfimw dAdam 3& a;

delphia Patented J an. 15, '1924.

- 1,480,588 PATENT OFFICE;

WILLIAM J. WISE AND THOMAS O. ADAMS, OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO,ASSIGNORS TO THE WISE-MOCLUNG MANUFACTURING OHIO, A- CORPORATION OFOHIO.

COMPANY, OF NEW PHILADELPHIA,

ADJUSTABLE WHEEL FOR VACUUM CLEANERS.

Application filed November 23, 1921. Serial No. 517,397.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WLLLIAM J. WISE and 'lHoMAs O. AoAMs, citizens ofthe United States, both residing at New Philain the county of Tuscarawasand State 0 Ohio, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Wheel forVacuum Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to anadjustable rear wheel" for supporting the rear portion of the cleanerupon the floor, the wheel being vertically adjustable with reference tothe vacuum cleaner and swiveled upon a Vertical axis to turn in anydirection as the cleaner is moved to and fro over the floor.

Th above and other objects may be attained by providing a rearwardlyextending bearing lug upon the sweeper casing and 2e locating a verticalscrew therethrough, a

bracket, being swiveled upon the lower end of the screw and carrying therear wheel of the cleaner.

A preferred embodiment of the invention thus set forth in general termsis illustrated .a vacuum cleaner'of the horizontal motor in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of avacuum cleaner of the horizontal motor type provided with the adjustablewheel embodying the invention,

Fig. 2, an enlarged sectional view of the bearing lug of the sweeper andthe adjustable wheel; I p

Fig. 3, a erspective view of the adjusting screw and cotter pin;

Fig. 4, a perspective view of the wheel bracket and wheel;

Fig. 5, a, perspective view of the disk which prevents accidentalmovement of the adjusting screw; K

Fig. 6, a detail perspective view of the tension spring which holds thedisk under tension; and

Fig; 7, a detailed perspective view of the screw which adjusts thetension upon the spring.

' Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe drawings.

Although the invention is illustrated upon type-it will be understoodthat the same is applicable to a'cleaner of the vertlcal motor type. p I

I The motor casing 1, fan casing 2, no'zle 3 and front wheels 4 may beof any col unon form. the motor casing being provided with therearwardly extending bearing lug 5 pro- -vided with the vertical, tappedbore 6 and connnunicating the horizontal tapped bore I therewith throughthe rear end of the lug.

J The vertical adjusting screw 8 is mounted through the tapped bore 6and provided upon its upper end with the knurled head 9, by means ofwhich the screw can be vertically adjusted within said bore.

A reduced shank 10 is provided upon the lower end of the adjustingscrew, the bracket 11 which carries the rear wheel 12 being providedwith the vertical bearing portion 13 which is rotatably mounted uponsaid shankand held in place thereon as by the cotter pin 14 which islocated through a transverse bore 15 in the lower end portion of theshank. 'lhe wheel 12 is journaled upon'the axle 16 which is carried inthe rearwardly inclined arms 17 of the bracket.

A' disk 18 is mounted within the horizontal tapped bore 7 and held infrictional engagement with the adjusting screw 8 by means of the tensionspring 19, the tension being adjusted upon said. spring by means of theheadless screw 20, which is slotted at tion of said screw and thebearing portion 13 of the wheel bracket. This fiber washer thus 'searates the two metal parts and prevents t e same from gelling as the.wheel bracket revolves.

By adjusting the screw 8 within the bearing lug 5 the wheel 12 may beraised or lowered with reference to the motor casing, thus adjusting thenozzle 3 vertically with reference to the floor, this adjustment of thenozzle'being necessary for operating the vacuum cleaner upon therugs orcarpets having nap of different lengths.

The bracket carrying the rear wheel being adjustable upon the shank 10of the adjustin screw, it will be seen that the rear wheel wi 1 turnfreely in any direction allowing the sweeper to be easily turned as itis moved to or fro upon the floor in the operation of cleanin It wi thusbe evident that an adjustable rear wheel is provided which may be easilyand quickly adjusted vertically with reference to the casing of thevacuum cleaner, and held in any desired adjustment, the wheel beingswiveled to turn in any direc tion upon the floor as the sweeper isoperated.

We claim: 7

1 A castor for a vacuum cleaner or the like having an outwardlyextending lug, a vertically adjustable screw located through the lug. ahead upon the upper'end of the screw for operating the same, a Wheelswivelled upon the lower end of the screw, said lug having a horizontaltapped bore, a disk in said bore frictionally engaging the screw,

a tension spring engaging the disk and an adjusting screw for adjustingthe tension upon the spring.

2. castor for a vacuum cleaner or the like having an outwardly extendinglug, a

vertically adjustable screw. located entirely through the lug, a headupon the upperend of the screw for operating the same, a wheel swivelledupon the lower end of the screw,

means within the lug for frictional engage- .ment with the screw andmeans for adjust-

